These are the reclaimed doors we got from a cool vintage salvage place that our friends, Paul and Becky, own in Astoria, Oregon. The fabric was found by my dear friend, Stacey. I begged her to bring a scrap of fabric with her on her trip to Italy in search of an Italian version of my JoAnn's scrap. No luck in Italy, but she found THIS (even better option) at a local fabric store, and I am builidng the color palette around it on the first floor.

19teens light fixture.jpg

Although it still needs rewiring, I scored this beauty at the Rebuilidng Center in Portland. It is from the pre-1920's and is currently wired for gas (old school). I was told by the guy that helped me get all the necessary parts together for it that to clean the old mounting, I should soak it in CocaCola overnight and all the old paint will disappear. Yikes.

Double Duty.jpg

Natony is hand applying milk clay to the wall in the entry, while just on the other side of the wall, Kevin is cutting rebar (over my craiglist find fave Viking stove). You can see the radiant floor tubing, and the little gothic window space next to the front door.

Sky Angels.jpg

The SO blessed Natonya and June are hand applying milk clay on the ceilings of the living room space. Hard, slow work that results in such an amazingly beautiful finish!

Autumn Rain.jpg

Just after the pavement ends, and just before turing into our drive, here is a pic of the rich fall colors and the rain running down my windshield as I park in the middle of the road and take this photo from the driver's seat.

I HEART the hearth.jpg

Natonya, Kevin, and Larry work hard to figure out the proper layout for the historic brick hearth (flush with the wood floor is the tricky part).

Charles in CHARGE.jpg

Never could I have imagined what a stellar job our 27 year old neighbor and skilled artisan would do with the laying of our barn wood floors. He is detailed, compassionate, patient and his work warms my heart every time I walk these magical floors! Thank you Charles!!!

Brick Entry.jpg

Larry, Natonya and I took 14 hours on a Sunday to just GROUT these puppies. They are super beautiful, set over radiant floor heating. What a way to enter :)

CraigsList does India.jpg

So, I am in LOVE with what CraigsList is doing for this home. We found this beauty and learned that it was made in India, and was auctioned off, sight unseen, as contents of an abandoned storage unit. We are the lucky new stewards of this, and it graces our Puja (prayer) room on the NE corner of the house.

Burn Baby Burn.jpg

Larry lights the inaugeral fire in the new Nectre bread baking woodstove. The only bummer is that the wood box only takes 12 inch logs and we have to cut our wood into these tiny little pieces. "All the better to load your arms with, my dear!"

My Mother's List.jpg

So, my mom is the list MASTER! And we are doing our best to keep an ongoing list to help us preserve our sanity and patience. Sometimes the list works wonders... other times... not so well! Such is the adventure of building this house! Look at those beautiful barn wood floors -- already laid on the first floor... and the leaning ones are ready for upstairs.

CraigsList Farmhouse Cabinet.jpg

Another super cool find on CraigsList, from a cool real estate agent in Portland named Colleen (Moxie Realty). She bought this beauty with her last student loan paycheck just before leaving New Mexico 10-15 years ago. It was hard for her to let it go... but she did (thank you), BUT not without sharing the story about the time a possum decided to live in it for a spell.... WHILE it was in their living room. Nice!

Much Ado About Something.jpg

So, here's the main floor from the mudroom door. Jai, our second golden retriever is recovering from salmon poisoning on the floor, cardboard adorns all the floors to keep the workers from having to take their shoes off upon entering, and my sanding/oiling station is off in the distance. And there's that new woodstove heating up the first floor!

So, we have these amazing light fixtures... only thing is that all of them need to be rewired. That's the hiccup. Just a little one! This one is for the main entry (way prettier when it isn't so dusty!!!)

Girl in Tree.jpg

Larry sees a girl in this tree... can you see her? She's in the bark...

Concrete design.jpg

Just before laying the brick in the entry, I practiced a design I really want to do -- or something like it -- on the shower pan in the master bath. This is my first freehand go at it. Not too bad!